The Irish standard., 1887-12-17
AN APPEAL FOR IRISH UNITY
AS the Rattle of Home Rule Stands at
Present, the Part Of | ishrlen is
to Maintain Firm Array.
FATHER O'REILLY'S OPINION
Tet There Be No Dissension in the Ranks
Of the Irish Parliamentary
Party,

Tnt There Ee No DiSsenslOn III the HANKS
Of The Irish Parliamentary
Party.
To every man, no matter OF Wha1
nationality, who took sincere 1nteresI
in the prospective triumph OF 5ne
cause of Home Rule. the unbroken
nnion of Irishnen and their we'll tried
frmness Of purpose we're until now a
snbiect OF deep satisfaction and a
source OF hope. l. confess that the
ccrnpact front presented By the pop
Mar masses under the leadership OF
their uriests and the Parliamentary
marty was to me, as still fingered for
tbe last time in my native land, sure
n,edre that union and patient endur-
ance would .5af1e and defeat all the ef-
forts Of the Government TO coerce ana
to extarIninase the rural population.
The fast growing friendliness OF the
English people toward Ireland would
felt sure. hasten the day Of justice,
ueace and lasting Cancellation.
still cherish this strong confidence
IN the determination Of the great Iib'
era! party to right in Ireland the
wrongs Of seven centuries.
What, then, has created the douos
and the fear which run all through
these opening sentences2 This: that
the EalFonyian n,etho S Of repression
and coercion, while imprisoning the
hest men in ireland and degrading
Them for mere political offences, to
the level of tho yilest criminals, are
}ettinc loose tho most violent revolu-
tionary forces.
The phenomena which appalled,, sad
dened and shameG all true Irishmen in
1882, when the prisons were dlled by
the leaders Of the people in constltu-
tlooal struggle, threaten to repeat
themselves now, when that struggle IS
still more constitutional in it's aims and
IT'S proceedings. Lord Salisbury and
his Government are we'll aware that SO
long as the Irish people, led by their
bishops, priests, and Parliamentary
representatives, oppose an lnVlslo1e
and law abiding resistance to the lrtl-
tatiug action OF the castle officials ano
the evicting forces at their command
The cause o1 Home Rule, of Justice
and constitutional rights, Will make
rapit1 strides forward throughout the
eugth and breadth of Great Britain.
Already, and while am writing this
the Atlantic cable will have brought
to vo,,r readers amt to the whole Amer.
icap p,,}ii:: the p;n ms Of rejoicing OF
the Tory press OF England over the un-
seemingly proceeding OF the conven-
ton If Thurles. now appeal to Irish
men and the friends Of Irishman in
America to be careful how they take
sides in this matter. am not IN a
position to pronounce the Judgment as
between the dissident parties in the
convention. It would be parricidal
guilt obreak or to weaken the strength
of the national party just when super
natural wisdom and tact are required
to keep the people together, shoulder
to shoulder, and to justify the trust re-
posed In them Ivy Gladstone, by bis
noble associates by the immense ma
jority Of EDglishmen, by America,
and the entire civilized world.
AS the battle for Home Rule now
stands at present, the part of 1rishmen
in Ireland is to maintain firm array,
to allow no discord from within or no
amount OF pressure from without to
create disorder in their ranks. Mem
hers OF Parliament, members OF the
National League, priests, bishops and
archbishops even, are ready to follow
VIM. O'Brien to prison, and to endure
and to sacrifice everything for their
people, provided that these keep firmly
together and dishonor the national
cause by no viol ence, no crime, no act
which can strengthen the bands Of CO.
erc,on OF bring blush to the cheek
of any man among the hundred millions
of freemen who are the friends Of Ire
land all over the Engllsn speaking
world.
Thus united and thus unstained by
crime, Irishmen at home can bear or
forbear, can suffer all that the utmost
( malice of rampant toryism can inflict
during the coming wipter. With the
D dawn Of spring, as sure as twill bring
!; 4 warmth and verdure and gladness to
\ the snow covered fields Of Iowa and
& Minnesota, so surely will come to Ire
land and will be flashed to you in
America the tidings that the battle for
4 Ireland has been won. II n .8
Toryism that is, land rdism-gone On e
Il mad lis rousing into active and intense
b ssSantago gonism the masses ' g! Of the people
gland ales and Scotland: There ,El''1'e